In the case of Fikes v. Alabama (1956), the U.S Supreme Court overturned a conviction based on coerced confessions, marking an important decision in relation to due process rights under the Fourteenth Amendment. The defendant, Jerome Acoff Fikes, was convicted for burglary and assault with intent to murder by an Alabama court. His confession had been obtained after prolonged periods of questioning over several days while he was held incommunicado without access to counsel or family members. The Supreme Court ruled that these circumstances constituted coercion and therefore violated his constitutional rights against self-incrimination as well as his right to due process under law. This ruling set a significant precedent regarding police interrogation methods and their potential infringement upon individual liberties.

In the dissenting opinion for Fikes v. Alabama, it was argued that the confession obtained from the defendant should not have been admitted into evidence due to its involuntary nature. The justice believed that there were significant indications of coercion and intimidation in obtaining this confession, including prolonged periods of questioning without access to counsel or family members. Furthermore, he noted that Fikes had a low mental capacity which made him more susceptible to pressure from law enforcement officers. He also pointed out inconsistencies in police testimony regarding how they obtained his confession as further proof of misconduct on their part. Therefore, he concluded that admitting such a questionable piece of evidence violated both state laws and constitutional rights against self-incrimination and due process.